Fat-Free Amaretti

Making my way, or I should say eating my way, through Italy with my parents at the ripe ol’ age of fourteen, there were four things I ate and drank because I absolutely loved them: Asti Spumanti, an Italian sparkling wine made in the town of my maternal Grandfather; Binoli, a scrumptious little custard filled pastry; pasta, all kinds; and last but not the least, Amaretti cookies!

If you have never had them, they are wonderful, crunchy almond cookies made with ground almonds and egg whites. The good imported brands are sold at most Italian delicatessens and in some specialty grocery stores. I simply cannot pass them up! Needless to say, the following is not an original Italian recipe, but it mimics the original quite nicely! Serve with coffee or as an accompaniment to a fruit salad for a light desert. Perfect for Christmas-time treats, just sprinkle with red and green colored sugar topping before baking!

Whisk together egg white, cream of tartar, and sugar until blended and syrupy. Do not beat into meringue.

Whisk in almond extract. Fold in cereal until evenly coated.

For the best results bake on silicone baking mats and do not use cooking spray. Spoon one tablespoon dollops of the mixture onto lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle cookie tops with raw sugar or colored sugar.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cookies should be a light golden brown, centers should be crisp not chewy. Allow cookies to cool for at least five minutes, then transfer to cooling rack. Cookies will harden as they cool. Store in an air tight container. Makes approximately 20 cookies.

Enjoy!

*Boxed egg products are pasteurized, meaning they have been pre-heated to prevent spoilage and bacterial growth. They will not yield a good result in this recipe, you must use fresh egg whites, out of the shell. Trust me, I have tried it, lol!